Located on soft, volcanic clay within the Apaneca Mountains of El Salvador, Finca Himalaya cultivates much of its coffee under shade-grown conditions. Mauricio and his team use cypress and pine trees to create a thriving ecosystem, providing habitat for bees, rabbits, butterflies, and a wide variety of birdlife.

The farm utilises African drying beds, partially sheltered from the wind, to ensure a slow, even, and carefully controlled drying process. Coffee has been grown here since 1875, and Finca Himalaya holds a distinguished reputation as the first specialty coffee farm in El Salvador.

As if that legacy were not enough, Finca Himalaya is also the birthplace of Project Origin’s Supernatural processing method. In 2014, Mauricio collaborated with Project Origin to create Supersonic coffee, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking approach to coffee processing.

The Supernatural process developed with Mauricio involves stacking freshly harvested cherries in thick piles to elevate temperature and stimulate fermentation. The cherries are turned every few hours and cocooned overnight beneath plastic sheets. After several days, the process transitions to a more traditional natural method: the cherries are spread thinly on drying beds and turned frequently to promote clarity and consistency. Finally, the coffee is moved to the bodega (warehouse), where it rests before dry milling.

These early experiments, made possible through close collaboration with Mauricio, laid the foundation for Supernatural processing. Today, this method is used in multiple coffee-producing countries to enhance complexity and add distinctive character to coffee profiles.